Spring-wheel.



FLT. MAURER v SPRING WHEEL. ArrmbA'non TILED JULY 22, 1010,

Patented May 30, 1911.

2 sums-Baum 1.

flbtowq F. T. MAUREIL SPRING WHEEL. V APPLICATION FILED JULY 22, Hi0.

.L. 2 m 0 60M m M2 n m P aHomm/q 1 FRANK r. MAURER, or KANSAS CITY, mrssou'nr.

SPRING-WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented May 30,1911.

Application filed July 22, 1910. Serial No. 573,300. a

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, FRANK T. MAURER, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented new and useful Improvements in Spring-\Vheels, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention provides a vehicle wheel designed chiefly for mechanically propelled machines but which may be utilized to advantage with vehicles of any type and propelledin any manner, the primary object being to combine all the advantages resulting from the use of pneumatic tires without being liable to the objections urged against such tires, namely, their liability to puncture and their comparatively short livedness. 3

The present invention supplies a wheel having a nonrotatable hub member and a ring encircling said hub member and rotatable thereon,sa1d ring having the outer portion of the wheel connected therewith, the

The invention consists of the novel features, details of construction and combina-- tion of parts, which hereinafter will be more particularly set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the appended claim.

Referring to the drawings, forming a part of the application, Figure 1 is a side view of a vehicle wheel embodying the invention, parts being broken away. Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of the ring encircling the hub member. Fig. 3 is a view in elevation of the confining plate employed for securing the ring encircling the hub member to the latter. Fig. 4 is a vertical central section onv the line w-m of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is-a detail view in elevation of't'he center portion of a wheel embodying a modification. Fig. 6 is a side view of the hub member.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in thefollowing description, and indicated in all the views of the drawings, by

thesame reference characters.

' The wheel embodies center and outer portions which are connected by spokes 1. The outer portion consists of a folly 2, a tire 3 and side rings 4:, the latter being fastened to opposite sides of the folly 2 and engaging opposite sides of the tire 3.

Thev center portion of the wheelcomprises a hub member 5 and a ring 6, the latter encircling the hub member and rotatable thereon. The hub member 5 is mounted upon the arm 7 of the axle 8 so as to move vertically thereon only and is held against rotation. The axle arm 7 is of angular formation and fits within a. vertically elongated opening 9 of the hub member so as to prevent rotation of said hub member but yet admit of'its free vertical movements within certain limits. The opening 9 is of uniform width so that its opposite vertical walls may engagewith opposite sides of the axle arm 7 Springs 10 are located in the lower portion of the open-' ing 9 and support the axle arm 7 and are under tension to sustain the load- The springs 10 may be of any construction, such as commonly employed for sustaining heavy loads. A bumper 11 is located at the upper end of the opening 9 above the axle arm 7 and prevents noise and absorbs the shock incident to the axle arm striking the upper other fastenings to a side'of the hub memher 5 and has an opening 14 corresponding with the opening 9 of said hub member to receive the axle arm 7. Grooves are formedin the outer circumference of the hub memher and other grooves are formed in the inner faces of'the flange 12 and projecting portion of the plate 13 and these several grooves register with corresponding grooves formed in the inner circumference and in opposite sides of the ring 6 and provide ball races in which are fitted balls whereby the friction between the hub member 5 and the encircling ring 6 is reduced to the smallest amount possible.

wheel; may be controlled. In: the event of the wheel being used as a driver aseries of sprocket teeth 16 ,are provided around the.

rmg 6 to receive adrive chain. In the event of the wheel-being constructed for a shaft driven machine the circular flange 1s provided upon its'inner side with a series of teethrl7, as indicated in the modification,

I Fig. 5, to mesh with a pinion 18 secured to a shaft 19 mounted in beari .10 by means of the axle 8. The 1oiiits formed between the ring 6 and the outer edges of.

' of rings 20, which latter are secured to one I s supported theparts. 12 and 13 are covered by means of the parts and-are loose with reference to the other part; The joints protecting the rings 20 are fastened by preference to the parts'12 and 13 and overlap the part 6 and fit lcosely against the sides thereofso as not to interfere with the rotation of the ring '6.

" Cap'plates 21 close opposite ends of the opening 9 and are mounted upon the axle arm 7 and fit close against opposite sides of the hub member. The cap, plates 21 pre- 3 said opening to facilitate movement of the vent any dust entering the openin 9 and also serve to confine alubricant laced in parts and prevent heating thereof by frictional contact of the rubbing surfaces. The

cap plates21' fit the axle arm 7 snugly'and move therewith. The wheel is retained'in place by the axle nut 22 and bymeans of a plate 23 and a spring washer 24, the parts 23 and 24 being confined between the inner side of the wheel and the shoulder provided at thebase or inner end of the axle arm 7. A cover plate 25 is secured to the ring 6 and further prevents entrance of dust into the joints and also confines any oil or lubricant that may tend to escape.- A cover plate 26 is located upon the inner side .of the wheel and is fastened at its outer edge to the ring 6-. The center portion of the cover plate 26 is formed with a circularbpening suflicient to admit of the-outer portion of the wheel moving freely and this opening is closedby meansof the plate 23, which is snugly fitted upon the, axle arm or a hub extension of the spring washer 24 L In practice the hub member of the wheel 1s held from rotating upon the axle arm 7,

but is free to move vertically thereon so as to compensate for jar and vibration. The

outer portion of the .wheel is free to move vertically with the hub member and in ad- 'ditionthereto is free to turn upon the hub member in -either direction. A. wheel of this character besides compensating for I shock and vibration is also durable and capable of resisting lateral strain and while possessing in a degree the shock absorbing qualities of wheels equipped w1th pneumatic tires is also free from the objections'urged against "pneumatic tires which are short lived and susceptible to puncture and are the source of constant care to maintain the;

same in effective condition. I

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanylng draw 'ings, the advantages of the construction and o'fthe method of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while I have described the principle of operation of the invention, together with the device which I v i now consider to be the embodiment thereof, I desire to have; it understoodthat the ,de' vice shown is merely illustrative, and that such changes may be made when desired as cured to the oppositesideof the hub member and overlapping the adjacent side pf the outer portion of the wheel to retain the hub member and outer portion ofthe wheel in I place, a spring support located in the" lower portion of the opening of the hub member,

a bumper arranged within the upperportion of the-opening of said hub-member, andcap plates closely fitting the axle and mounted thereon and embracing opposite sides-of the hub member to close the ends of the opening formed therein, inner and outei'gcover plates secured to the rotatable part, the inner cover plate having a central, opening, a plate snuglyfitting the inner end of the axle arm, and closing the opening in the. inner coverplate, and a spring washer mounted ,llpon' the inner end of the axle armbetween the two .plates mounted thereon,

In testimonywhereof I affix-my, signature in presenceof two witnesses.

, FRANK r. MAUltER Witnesses S. G. BARBOW, VVILLIAAfr CAMPBELL HORTON, 

